Srinagar, June 4: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Thursday held a meeting of officials to review poll preparedness for Panchayat and District Development Council (DDC) elections, which have been delayed form the last three years.

The SEC Shantmanu held a meeting with District Election Officers (DEOs) and other senior officials and assessed logistical, administrative and electoral arrangements for smooth conduct of the polls.
The SEC held a meeting for the Jammu region on Wednesday while for the valley, the meeting was held today.
The SEC briefed the officials on conduct of Panchayat and DDC elections in Jammu and Kashmir and the role to be assigned to Presiding Officers and Returning Officers whenever the polls are held.
Sources said there is all likelihood that panchayat and DDC elections may be held simultaneously.
According to the SEC, Jammu and Kashmir has 72,24,131 electors in the updated Panchayat Electoral Rolls. These include 36,62,502 males, 35,61,488 females and 141 third gender voters. The recent update exercise held between March and May added 3,39,384 lakh new voters to the list.
As per the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Raj department, J&K has 285 blocks and 4,291 gram panchayats and 33597 panch wards. The number of Block Development Councils is 310.
In urban areas, there are two Municipal Corporations of Srinagar and Jammu cities, besides the 19 Municipal Councils and 57 Municipal Committees in the 20 districts.
Jammu and Kashmir is without elected panchayat bodies after their five-year term ended on January 9, 2024. Similarly, the five- year term of District Development Councils ends on February 23, 2026. The terms of urban local bodies ended in December 2023.
Currently, the Block Development Officers hold the executive authority over the elected panchayat bodies, while the executive officers and commissioners hold the powers of municipal bodies and corporations. These officials execute plans under the PRI and urban local bodies funds.